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(No Model.)

mums.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Oct. 30, 1883.

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PATENT. OFFICE.

CHARLES IvEs, or KIRKLAND, NEW YORK.

FIRE-I-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

287,764, dated (ctober 30, 1883.

' Application filed June 4', 1883. (No' model.)

in all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES IvEs, of the town of Kirkland, county ofOneida, and State of New York, have invented and discovered a new anduseful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements used and operated inconnectionwithhotels and public and private buildings of alldescriptions where fire-escapes may be necessary or proper, to be usedtoenable people to escape throughthe outer windows of buildings, whenprevented from so escapin g by the ordinary methods provided for suchbuildings in case of fire.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a cross-section of theupper part of a building. Fig. 2 represents a front view of the same.Fig. 3 represents an enlarged size'of the drum and the fire-escapeattached and the apparatus for retaining and releasing the fireescape.Fig. 4 represents an enlarged section of the apparatus for releasing thefire-escape.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The nature and construction of my invention consists in a flexibleladder, the side bars of which areconstructed of ordinary chain,constructed of steel or wrought or malleable iron of sufficient strengthtosupport the required weight. The chain is connected by rounds or stepsfastened to the links of the side bars by means of hooks or rings. Thesize of therounds is from three eighths to one-half of an inch. The sizecan be varied to suit the convenience of the person using the same andthe purposes for which it is to be used, and about fifteen inches inlength. This, however, may be varied to suit the convenience of theperson using the same without interfering with my invention. Theserounds may be formed with a hook at each end of sufficient size andstrength to fasten into thelinks of the side bars, and compressed so asto embracethe link closely; or the rounds may be attached to the sidebars by having the links of the side bars pass through the ends of therounds which form the ladder without interfering with the usefulness ofmy invention; or a wire cable may be substituted in place of the chainforming the side bars.- A

ladder thus constructed may be extended or charged from it in case offire, as hereinafter described. The frame supporting the drum may bechanged by fastening the same. to theside of the building, or fasteningto the floor, as indicated in- Fig. 1, according to the convenience ofthe location where the the same is to be used,withoutinterfering with myinvention. The shaft to which the drum is attached may be of sufficientlength to attach several drums to the same, so that aseries offire-escape V ladders may all be discharged and extended at one time bythe same operation. The fireescape ladder is discharged, in case offire, through an aperture in the outer wall of the building, asindicated by Fig. 1, by its own weight when the ratchet is detached fromthe drum, as hereinafter described. The ladder, when attached to thedrum, is coiled round the drum, by means of the crank attached to theshaft, until the end of the ladder is drawn inside of the aperture inthe outside wall of the 7 building, and is held in this position bymeans of ratchet m. cord, wire, orrod communicating with the differentfloors or rooms in the building, where the same is readily accessible incase of fire.

Attachedto this ratchet is a 5 By pulling the connection the ratchet isde tached from the drum, which is set in motion by the weight of theladder, and is instantly extended by its own weight and the revolutionof the drum. The ratchet is kept in position on the drum in part by aweight running over a pulley, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the ratchet iskept from the drum, in case the ladder is desired to be extended, bymeans of a spring and catch, as indicated by Fig. 4.

Various devices have been used to provide proper fire-escapes forbuildings'in case of fire which disfigure the outer part of buildings.

By the use of my invention the fire-escape ladder is entirely inside ofthe building when not in use, and is readily available at all times,incase of fire,to the inmates of the building.

Having described the nature and construction of my invention, I will nowdescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Arepresents the building.

13 represents the ladder extended.

0 represents the opening in the side of building, through which theladder passes.

D represents the drum, around which the ladder is wound or coiled whennot extended for use.

E represents a door or cover, which opens outward by means of a flexiblehinge,to allow the ladder to escape without obstruction, and to close byits own weight when the ladder is taken in, forming a complete cover toaperture 0 in the wall.

K represents the crank attached to the end of the shaft which supportsthe drum or drums, by means of which the drum is revolved, so as to coilthe ladder when taking the same in after use.

L represents a weight attached to the lower end of the ladder, so thatthe same will be read ily extended when the ratchet is detached from thedrum.

R represents a roller or round to the ladder, of about three inches indiameter, which rests against the wall at the outer edge of aperture 0,the purpose of which is to keep the ladder away from the building, sothat the same can be more readily used.

a represents the frame, attached to the floor or to the wall,whichsupports the drum.

":0 represents the weight, attached to the ratchet by means of a cord orchain running over a pulley, to keep the ratchet in place when thefire-escape is not in use.

m represents the ratchet in place when the escape is not in use.

01 represent the cord, wire, or rod attached 4 to ratchet m, andextended to the different floors of the building, for the convenience ofpersons desiring the use of the fire-escape.

f represents the handle or knob attached to a. A person, by pullinghandle f,will detach 5o ratchet m from the drum, and the fire-escapewill then be instantly extended.

1) represents the collar attached to 11 x a: represent the spring.

1 represents the handle of the spring. 5 5

8 represents a collar attached to n, which passes spring 00 00 when theratchet is detached and the fire-escape extended, and which, by means ofs and 00m, keeps the ratchet .flOlll the drum while the escape is beingextended.

e 6 represents a box surrounding n. This, however, may be omitted, and nmay be put inside of the wall of the building, and handles so attachedas to be readily aceesssible to suit the convenience of persons desiringto use the same.

hat I claim as my invention and discovery Fire-escape ladder B, incombination with revolving drum D, aperture 0, frame a, ratchet m,connecting-rod a, handle f, collars 8, spring av 00, provided withhandle 7 weight w, crank K, and door E, as and for the purposesspecifled.

Signed at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York.

CHARLES IVES.

Vitnesses:

G. D. HAYES, J ARIES I. SCOLLARD.

